Philippine volleyball

Marck Espejo leads PH men’s volleyball team tryouts

Beatrice Go

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Marck Espejo leads PH men’s volleyball team tryouts

STAR. Marck Espejo is set to banner the national volleyball team's campaign once again.

Photo by Michael Gatpandan/Rappler

The Philippine men's volleyball team aims to win the gold after a breakthrough silver medal finish in the 2019 SEA Games

Marck Espejo starred in the Philippine men’s volleyball team tryouts on Thursday, April 29 at the Subic Gymnasium.

The national men’s volleyball team is preparing to form the squad that will aim for the gold in the 2021 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Hanoi, Vietnam, two years after the Philippines won a breakthrough silver medal after 42 years.

Thirty-one out of the 40 athletes invited showed up in the tryouts, which were divided into the morning and afternoon sessions in compliance with COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

Longtime Philippine team skipper John Vic de Guzman led the morning session aspirants, with teammates Mark Alfafara and Jao Umandal.     

Maayos ang tryouts, una kasi batch by batch ang tryout at sobrang dami ang nag-attend,” De Guzman said. “Makikita mo din na talagang gustong-gusto ng lahat na makapasok sa national team.

(The tryouts went smoothly. It was by batch and many attended. You can see that a lot of players want to join the national team.)

Only 9 missed the event – including Bryan Bagunas – who arrived in the country from his stint in the Japan V. League only recently and had to complete a 14-day quarantine. 

Others who attended were Jessie Lopez, Josh Retamar, JP Bugaoan, Kim Dayadante, Anthony Ekwenugo, Mark Enciso, Alche Gupiteo, Noel Kampton, Kim Malabunga, Chumson Njigha Jr, Leo Ordiales, Ish Polvorosa, Jian Matthee Salarzon, Ricky Marcos, Manuel Sumanguid, Rex Intal, Nico Almendras, Leo Aringo, Lloyd Josafat, Joeven dela Vega, Jack Kalingking, Louie Ramirez, Ysay Marasigan, John Mark Ronquillo, Kharyl Parce, Rayver Sison, and Francis Saura.

Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) president Ramon “Tats” Suzara revealed that the coaches will be selecting only 20 national team pool members per division.

The women’s volleyball tryouts were staged on Wednesday, April 28 with the beach volleyball tryouts capping the major PNVF activity on Friday, April 30.

All participants underwent RT-PCR tests with the players wearing face masks all throughout the tryout proceedings. – Rappler.com

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Beatrice Go

More commonly known as Bee, Beatrice Go is a multimedia sports reporter for Rappler, who covers Philippine sports governance, national teams, football, and the UAAP. Stay tuned for her news and features on Philippine sports and videos like the Rappler Athlete’s Corner and Rappler Sports Timeout.